posted at 11:21 am on April 1, 2014 by Allahpundit

I’m not sure what “on track” means given that the deadline’s now come and gone. Presumably it’s a reference to last week’s extension for people who are “in line”: All you need to do is swear that you tried to sign up before March 31st but ran into technical problems and you get extra time to complete the process. That extension was, transparently, all about giving the White House a better chance to reach seven million sign-ups — their original projection for enrollment this year — so that they can now declare “mission accomplished.” It was, like so many of O-Care’s exemptions and shifting deadlines, all about politics. Even though anyone who’s following this issue knows that a good million or more of these sign-ups are or soon will be invalid due to nonpayment of premiums or the simple fact that “sign-ups” includes some people who selected a plan on Healthcare.gov even though they didn’t actually complete the purchase.

Obama’s going to take a victory lap at 4:15 p.m. today. If he’s excited about this number, imagine how excited he’ll be when he finds out how many sign-ups are valid.

Beating expectations, President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul was on track to sign up more than 7 million Americans for health insurance on deadline day Monday, government officials told The Associated Press.

The 7 million target, thought to be out of reach by most experts, was in sight on a day that saw surging consumer interest as well as vexing computer glitches that slowed sign-ups on the HealthCare.gov website…

Seven million was the original target set by the Congressional Budget Office for enrollment in taxpayer-subsidized private health insurance through new online markets created under Obama’s signature legislation.

Not only are “sources” whispering to the media about up-to-the-minute sign-up data, an HHS spokesman reported last night that the website had received nearly five million visits on Monday alone. Which led Byron York to marvel:

Wow. At times it takes the administration forever to come up with Obamacare numbers, and now they seem to have them minute-by-minute…

We still don’t have data about how many of the seven million were previously uninsured (CBO projected as recently as February that 13 million people formerly without insurance would gain it under O-Care, including the Medicaid expansion) or what the age mix of the various new state risk pools is. Logically, you would think the late enrollment surge would consist mainly of “young knuckleheads” who held off on signing up until the last minute because they don’t desperately need coverage. That’s good news for insurers and for fans of the law, of course, since more young adults in the pool means more healthy people being gouged to subsidize those with preexisting conditions, which in turn means premiums will rise less steeply next year. The bad news for insurers is that, per some recent estimates, young adults comprised just 25-27 percent of the overall risk pool headed into the final month of enrollment. There’d have to be a lot of twentysomethings diving in over the past four weeks to get the administration close to its target of 40 percent or so overall.

In case you missed it yesterday, by one estimate, three-quarters of new ObamaCare enrollees are paying higher premiums now than they used to — which, of course, is very much by design, no matter what The One might tell you. If you’re going to have guaranteed issue and community rating for the sick, the extra revenue to pay for their treatment has to come from somewhere. Exit question: What happens next year when roughly half of new enrollees with subsidized coverage lose their subsidies, bumping them down to Medicaid coverage or no coverage at all?

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Where is everdisco? We need some double and triple counting to make sense of this 7 million figure. Maybe verbasloopy can explain where then numbers came from and give us a breakdown? I’d like to see the State by state and plan by plan. Oh, I’d like to see actual paid for plans. I’m just picky about that paid for thingy I guess…

Over at ACE there seems to be more detail. Apparently they are taking credit for those who kept insurance under the “children are kept under parent insurance until they are 26″ clause as well as previous Medicare applicants. As I read it the real number is actually only 2 million newly insured under obamacare.

Utterly despicable deception being perpetrated on America with a blatantly activist and complicate media.

These numbers are as cooked, farcical, and mendacious as any that have come out of this Administration. As cynical as I am regarding this lying Administration, I never expected them to go for the full monty and blatantly lie to this level. But then, when lie, why not just go all in and do the BIG LIE?

After all the Ministry of Truth is there to carry the water (like the AP, LA Times) for this Administration. Reality is what these Orwellians say it is…even if that reality is all about the government seizing 1/6th of the national economy in the name of spending $2.6T over the next decade for wealth redistribution and social justice.

I’m not sure what “on track” means given that the deadline’s now come and gone.

I’m not sure what “sign-ups” means, and beyond that, I’m not sure what the number of people forced to use the exchanges has to do with anything. BarkyCare is destroying our health insurance and health care systems, no matter how many people actually sign up for it. It is anti-American and as un-Constitutional as it gets, no matter how many sign up for it. It is an offensive to liberty, to free markets, and the dismantling of the best health care system the world has ever seen, no matter how many sign up for it. BarkyCare will bring medical research to a vertiable standstill, no matter how many sign up for it.

And on and on. I don’t know where this silly “7 million” number came from but it has nothing to do with BarkyCare and the fact that BarkyCare is an offense of the worst kinds to anyone who respects the American Constitutional Republic, R.I.P.

It’s simply amazing how these good numbers always drop right when they need to. Kind of like the unemployment rate dropping below 8% in the final jobs report before the election. Obama really is the super-greatest. I’ve been wrong about him all along. It’s clear to me he really is The One.

We still don’t have data about how many of the seven million were previously uninsured (CBO projected as recently as February that 13 million people formerly without insurance would gain it under O-Care, including the Medicaid expansion)

Fierce moral urgency of 40 million without health insurance.
7 million is a lie, but even if it were 7 million out of 40 million who gained insurance, that’s still 33 million without, plus now there’s 7 million who previously had insurance who have lost it. No gain at all.

Wow. At times it takes the administration forever to come up with Obamacare numbers, and now they seem to have them minute-by-minute… — Byron York

Yep, funny that. When we know (if they will ever really tell us), how many were not insured prior, how many of the sign-ups actually paid, and how many are still on the rosters in a few months, then we will have a better handle on this. Until then, if their lips are moving, their cooking the books. (Of course, there is no big surprise there).

Look at what they do with the inflation rate, unemployment numbers, the GDP, CBO projections, testimony to Congress et al. When these are all independently verified, then we may start to think of believing the most transparently untransparent administration ever.)

One gets the distinct feeling that everything being done and said by this regime – and the MSM – is for the benefit of the low information voter. This sign-up numbers game distracts from the real issue – which is the damage this law is doing to the American people, our economy, and our health care system. Does anyone with half a brain believe ANYTHING these people say anymore?

Speaking as one of the 7 million who have successfully signed up and been accepted into the 0Care system. I couldn’t be happier. The premiums are half what I was paying for that “junk” policy I had held for 30 plus years. The service exemplary, the best I have ever enjoyed. The medications are even better. The nurses are hotter as well. Plus they let you pinch them on the ass. With a smile. Clever technique to draw people to this wonderful coverage. When I think of what a fool I have been in the past. All that money invested in those sub standard policies. Now I’m boilerplate invincible. Thanks 0Care!

Speaking as one of the 7 million who have successfully signed up and been accepted into the 0Care system. I couldn’t be happier. The premiums are half what I was paying for that “junk” policy I had held for 30 plus years. The service exemplary, the best I have ever enjoyed. The medications are even better. The nurses are hotter as well. Plus they let you pinch them on the ass. With a smile. Clever technique to draw people to this wonderful coverage. When I think of what a fool I have been in the past. All that money invested in those sub standard policies. Now I’m boilerplate invincible. Thanks 0Care!

My Goodness. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better! I have just been informed that as a reward for following all the 0Care mandates flawlessly I’m going on an all expense paid vacation to Hawaii!!!! All the lobster I can eat! Free massages, daily spa treatments and membership to the gym of my choice for life! Plus they have thrown in a concubine! That lifetime supply of v i a g r a is gonna come in so handy! Miss Lamar will be thrilled!

Give us a net signup: (number of signups – number not paid) – (previous cancellations). Then provide a Venn diagram depicting two intersecting sets for new signups and prior cancellations. Then, publish all demographics including age and number of Medicaid recipients included in the gross signup number. Then, based on the previous behavior of this administration, factor in a minus 10%-20% for intentional error. Without this type of analysis the numbers are pure political garbage.

Speaking as one of the 7 million who have successfully signed up and been accepted into the 0Care system. I couldn’t be happier. The premiums are half what I was paying for that “junk” policy I had held for 30 plus years. The service exemplary, the best I have ever enjoyed. The medications are even better. The nurses are hotter as well. Plus they let you pinch them on the ass. With a smile. Clever technique to draw people to this wonderful coverage. When I think of what a fool I have been in the past. All that money invested in those sub standard policies. Now I’m boilerplate invincible. Thanks 0Care!

Bmore on April 1, 2014 at 12:03 PM

I know of what you speak…I had a great policy, but gave it up for ObamaCare, I’m a man and it even covers me for maternity.

It is once in a lifetime that someone so majestic like Obama comes along and blesses me with his intellect and foresight.

Our family is forever grateful to ObamaCare…not to mention the hot as h3ll nurses…